Most of this book concern's Friedman's focussed efforts to confirm the validity of a 1952 document from the Majestic-12 investigative panel. He takes the reader along with him as he tries, sometimes successfully, but more often not, to navigate the bureaucratic maze that has been assembled to hide UFO and ET information from the public. But his failures are also successes, in a way, showing that the US government has much to hide!

Friedman, a nuclear physicist and noted "UFOlogist" (Crash at Corona: The Definitve Study of the Roswell Incident, Marlowe, 1994), examines the documentary evidence for the existence of a clandestine government group called "Majestic-12" (sometimes shortened to "MJ-12" or "Majic"), supposedly formed in 1947 to deal with the remains of a crashed flying saucer near Roswell, New Mexico. The U.S. government has consistently denied there ever was such an incident or group. Friedman attempts to authenticate purported MJ-12 documents that mysteriously appeared in 1984 and 1994. He also refutes arguments by debunkers such as Carl Sagan and Phillip Klass and criticizes the findings in Kevin D. Randle and Donald R. Schmitt's recent The Truth About the UFO Crash in Roswell (LJ 6/1/94). Included here for the first time is part of a 1984 "Special Operations Manual" for the recovery and disposal of extraterrestrial entities and technology. If authenticated, it would lend credence to Friedman's belief in a governmental cover-up he terms a "cosmic Watergate." While this book is speculative to some degree, Friedman operates mostly as a scientist, carefully weighing all evidence before coming to a conclusion. Recommended for public and academic libraries.?Gary D. Barber, SUNY at Fredonia Lib.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The Majestic-12 documents are controversial adjuncts to the now famous UFO crash at Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. Obtained under unusual circumstances, they refer to a top-secret research operation created by President Truman to coordinate the study of debris and alien bodies recovered from the crash site. Although the documents are considered by many historians and ufologists to be hoaxes, Friedman has studied them intensively and answers criticisms in great detail. He reviews the most recently discovered document, an alleged 1954 manual for the recovery and disposal of extraterrestrial entities and technology, as well as the notorious "alien autopsy" film that was broadcast on the Fox network in 1995. This book will delight those who can't get enough of crashed saucers and government cover-ups. George Eberhart --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Ingram

Friedman tells the increidble story of the recovery of flying saucers near Roswell, New Mexico, in July, 1947. According to the author, President Truman established a committee (called alternatively Majestic-12, Majic-12, or MJ-12) to deal with the resultant very highly classified investigations of the crashed saucers and their non-human inhabitants. 13 photos.

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The Truth is Indeed Out There ...
Reviewer: John M Finney from Sacramento, CA United States

But finding it is the real story. Nuclear scientist Stanton Friedman offers armchair UFO enthusiasts and debunkers an amazing view inside the world of UFO committees and conferences, hoaxed pictures and documents, the government's many records archives, unexplained UFO sightings, and the difficulties of obtaining information through the so-called "Freedom of Information Act". Although Friedman plainly states his pro-UFO sentiments, he nevertheless takes a scientific approach to analyzing the alleged MJ-12 government documents, code-named "MAJIC", anonymously leaked to fellow researchers Bill Moore and Jaime Shandera. After endless hours of archival research, dozens of dead-ended requests, interviews with relatives of deceased government officials, and his own attempts to prove the documents false through massive fact gathering, Friedman's inarguable conclusions add a startling and new dimension to what actually happened near Roswell in 1947, and bring to light the subsequent government and military activity designed to keep it secret. His dogged empirical analyses of each document is a fascinating detective story, one that will easily hold the attention of any reader interested in sifting through rumor, gossip, innuendo, and disinformation to reach a logical conclusion of fact.

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Anatomy of a Controversy
Reviewer: Tom Bowden (see more about me) from Gresham, OR, USA

A controversy rages about the authenticity of the documents upon which this book is based. It is a controversy which must exist because of the nature of the subject matter. These documents were provided anonymously, and supposedly give evidence for the existence of a highly secret council within our government whose main purpose was to control public knowledge about UFOs.

Secret government agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaisance Office, and many others, are not solely engaged in intelligence gathering. They are also involved in information management. For that reason alone, one cannot unquestioningly accept the main thesis of this book. The possibility remains that the whole set of documents, or a major portion of them, were deliberately forged and given out as disinformation to create controversy and dissention among the ranks of UFO investigators.

In spite of all the doubts about whether this book speaks the truth in every detail, in general terms there is a great deal of truth to the message given. Stanton Friedman has the credentials, the knowledge, and the investigative ability to do as thorough a job as anyone could have done with this subject. He also does an excellent job of presenting the material in an informative and entertaining manner.

This book is definitely worth reading, but for most people, an additional education on the history of UFOs is necessary to provide the right mental framework for this book. This education is obtained by a reading some of the best serious literature on UFOs. To read this book without having that context is hard to imagine.

Tom Bowden,
Oregon State Director,
Mutual UFO Network

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A thorough investigation of an important document
Reviewer: A reader from Roanoke, VA USA

Most of this book concern's Friedman's focussed efforts to confirm the validity of a 1952 document from the Majestic-12 investigative panel. He takes the reader along with him as he tries, sometimes successfully, but more often not, to navigate the bureaucratic maze that has been assembled to hide UFO and ET information from the public. But his failures are also successes, in a way, showing that the US government has much to hide! Since recent indications suggest that Mars is inhabited by sentient beings, I found it interesting that the Majestic-12 panel was suggesting this, among themselves, even back in 1952. Besides this primary, narrow focus, Friedman gives his considered opinion on matters such as Bob Lazar, and on the alien autopsy film(s), with enough evidence and conviction that I am reconsidering my own earlier assessment. I recommend this book as one of the most solidly written, most thoroughly researched books in the UFO genre.

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Extraordinary book
Reviewer: ufowarrior (see more about me) from Washington State

Since Stanton Friedman is not only a nuclear physicist but is probably the most well-known personality in the the UFO field, it behooves us to pay attention to what he has to say about the subject of UFOs.

I have read his captivating and intriguing book TOP SECRET/MAJIC three times and recommend it highly for those interested in the most famous UFO case of all time -- Roswell.

The Roswell case is vitally important because if it happened, and I believe it did, this means at least one alien craft crashed on this planet and was recovered along with bodies. Those looking for proof regarding the existence of UFOs will find perhaps the most significant pieces of it here in this book.

By reading this book it will become evident to you that the powers that be consider Roswell to be one of the most, if not the most, highly classified matter of our time.

In my view, this book is a necessary read for the serious seeker of truth regarding the UFO phenomena.

And I wouldn't pay too much attention to those reviews you see that are critical of this book/author where said person did not include their name. If the critical person didn't have the courage to put their name on their own opinion then we have to wonder why.